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Hearings and Appeals

If you have applied for, have received, or are currently receiving benefits/services from an assistance program listed below AND you have a complaint about how your application or benefits/services are/were handled, you may:

  • DISCUSS YOUR COMPLAINT with a representative of the welfare department for the county in which you live (or where you lived when you received the benefits/services).
  • FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT - see How to File a Complaint.
  • FILE A DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINT - see How to File a Discrimination Complaint.
  • REQUEST A HEARING - see How to Ask for a State Hearing and How to File a Hearing Request.

    ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS:
    Adoptions Assistance Program
    Adult Services
    Assistance Dog Special Allowance Program
    California Food Assistance Program (CFAP)
    CalLearn
    CalWORKs
    Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI)
    Child Welfare Services
    California Medical Assistance (Medi-Cal)
    Emergency Assistance
    Food Stamps
    In-Home Medical Care
    In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS)
    Interim Assistance for SSI applicants
    Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP)
    Personal Care Services Program (PCSP)
    Refugee Cash Assistance
    Repatriate Assistance Program
    Special Circumstance Payment (State Supplemental Program)
    Welfare-to-Work


OTHER PROGRAMS have their own complaint and hearing processes:

SSI/SSP - If you have a complaint about Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) benefits, do not file a hearing request with us. We do not handle complaints about the SSI/SSP Program. Instead, you must discuss your concern with a representative at the Social Security Administration District Office nearest your home. That office handles SSI/SSP complaints for persons who are aged, blind and/or disabled. To locate the district office nearest you, refer to the Federal Government listings in your local telephone directory, or you can obtain more information at How to Appeal Decisions Made About Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims .

Social Security/Supplemental Security Disability - Information is available from these web pages: How to File an Appeal of Social Security or Supplemental Security Disability Benefits or How to Appeal Decisions Made About Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims .

General Assistance - If you have a complaint about the General Assistance (GA)/General Relief (GR) Program, do not file a hearing request with us. We do not handle complaints about GA/GR Programs. Instead, you must discuss your concern with a representative of the welfare department for the county in which you live (or where you lived when you received GA/GR benefits).